Former DM Reznikov suggests expanding draft to include women

Former Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who served from 2021 to 2023, has suggested expanding the military draft to include women, in an interview with RFE/RL on August 20. Reznikov argued that Ukraine should adopt a universal conscription model, similar to that of Israel, where women serve alongside men, in order to significantly increase the country's mobilization resources.

He emphasized that gender equality means women should also serve in the military, noting that this would double the country's mobilization capacity. Reznikov proposed that women could serve in rear positions, such as logistics and support roles, freeing up men to serve in combat roles closer to the frontlines. He stressed that the transition should be gradual, starting with an information campaign to raise public awareness about the shared responsibility of national defense, similar to Israel's approach.

The former minister also mentioned that standards for women's military uniforms and body armor were approved during his tenure. In March, then-Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that the Ukrainian armed forces included 75,000 women.